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Poll: Most Americans want local action on global warming

Poll: Most Americans want local action on global warming

Nearly three-quarters of Americans are willing to pay more in taxes and other expenses to support local government-led initiatives to reduce global warming, according to a survey released Thursday.

The first-of-its-kind survey, which was conducted by GfK Public Affairs and Yale University, found 74 percent of Americans would support local regulations requiring all newly constructed homes to be more energy efficient, even if it would increase the initial cost of a new home by roughly 7,500 U.S. dollars.

Seventy-two percent said they would support local subsidies encouraging homeowners to install electricity-generating solar panels on existing homes.

Seventy-one percent would pay 5 dollars more a month in property taxes in support of a local subsidy to encourage homeowners to replace old furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, light bulbs and insulation.

Sixty-nine percent would pay 8.5 dollars more a month for local regulations requiring electric utilities to produce at least 20 percent of their electricity from wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.

Sixty-eight percent would approve changing their city or town zoning rules to decrease suburban sprawl and concentrate new development near the town center.

However, 57 percent of Americans oppose changing city zoning rules to promote construction of apartments rather than single-family homes, and 64 percent oppose charging a 10-cent city or local fee on each gallon of gas to encourage people to use less fuel.

"City and local leaders are critical players in the effort to reduce global warming, and it's clear that their constituents want action," said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change.

"The public is on board and willing to help foot the bill. All that's left to do now is act," he said